“Luxury” in Education.

THE Public Service Commission having put its foot down upon the system of giving State scholarships to Indians to proceed to England to qualify for I.C.S. it is only to be expected that the cry of “down with scholarships” would be taken up all over India by those who support vested interests. At the Karachi Municipality a resolution was moved recently by Mr. J.R. Mehta to set apart Rs. 3,000 annually for one scholarship to one talented student of Karachi for higher education abroad. This was opposed by the President who admitted it a laudable idea, but said it was a luxury and there was no precedent set by any other municipality in India. He also said it was for the rich to do so, and above all, the scholarship holder “may prove a failure!” Was ever any scheme adopted by such doubters and seekers after precedent? If foreign education is a luxury, where is the scope in India for training our young men to the required degree of efficiency?